Paper Angels
by Kelekona8
Summary: She's a second grade self portrait drawn without a smile.
1. Prologue

This is a story idea that popped in my head and I can't get it out. The prologue starts right after Too Tough To Die and then I pick up in season 2.

Disclaimer: If CSI were mine I wouldn't be working 7 days a week at $6.50 an hour, worrying about how to replace my stolen laptop, or about my financial aid for college. The title I borrowed from a song by Jimmy Wayne; the title and the lyrics just fit so well, I'll post the lyrics at the end of this chapter. Also, I don't know if someone else is doing something similar to this but if they are I want them to know that I am _not_ trying to copy their idea, this just got in my head and won't leave me alone. So if you want to bug me about using your idea go ahead, but please don't cry plagiarism, that was _not_ my intent.

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**Prologue**

Sara Sidle entered her apartment on autopilot.

Close door behind you.

Toss keys on table.

Drop bag on kitchen counter.

Open fridge.

Get a bottle of water.

Close fridge.

Open bottle of water.

Take a drink.

Slowly make way over to couch.

Collapse on couch.

Stare at opposite wall.

Listen to the absolute silence.

The truth was the silence had never really bothered her this much before. But now it was ringing, deafeningly, in her ears. The utter loneliness and emptiness of not just her apartment, but her whole life, glaring at her from the bare wall across from her.

Grissom's words to her about needing a diversion ran in circles around her head. She felt so bad about what she had said to him, because it wasn't true and she knew it, but at the time, sitting there, with her heart still bleeding over the victim, it had just come out. She wanted to apologize but knew that most likely he would smile and thank her, but it wouldn't mean that much to him.

No, she decided, the best way to "tell" him that she was sorry was to take his advice and try to find a "diversion".

There was something that had been nagging at the back of her mind for months, something she wanted to do, but hadn't for a multitude of reasons, including work-related ones.

She gnawed on her lip before digging out the phonebook, flipping it open to a number that she had sat and stared at many times before slamming the book closed once more. This time she didn't slam it closed. This time she took a deep breath, picked up her phone and quickly punched in the number before she could change her mind.

"Child Services," a voice on the other end calmly toned.

"Um. . .yes, I was wondering if I could inquire after a child?"

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Paper Angels

By: Jimmy Wayne

After every day-after-Thanksgiving sale the malls just ain't complete  
Without a bunch of decorations and a paper angel tree  
There's artificial smiles on artificial tree limbs  
Saying what she'd love to have and what to buy for him

Well I hope Maggie likes her new winter clothes and her buggy with a baby doll  
And maybe Tom'll smile with his new Nike shoes when he shoots that basketball  
I can't help but wishing that I could do more  
But not just while I'm shopping in the department store

_Chorus:_  
Paper angels you're in my thoughts and prayers  
No matter where you are right now remember God's right there  
He's asking all of us to help take care  
Of his paper angels everywhere

Going through the mail almost every afternoon I see a Mom and Dad's  
Worst dream  
There on the back of a money-saving ad to get my carpet cleaned  
Height, weight, hair, eyes, date missing, and DOB  
A child's name, a picture, and the words 'have you seen me?'

_Chorus:_  
Paper angels you're in my thoughts and prayers  
No matter where you are right now remember God's right there  
He's asking all of us to help take care  
Of his paper angels everywhere

His documented bruises fill a folder file  
She's a second grade self-portrait drawn without a smile  
And every town is littered with this kind of debris  
We've got to stop this madness and it's up to you and me

_Chorus:_  
Paper angels you're in my thoughts and prayers  
No matter where you are right now remember God's right there  
He's asking all of us to help take care  
Of his paper angels everywhere

Paper angels everywhere

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Ok, there's the prologue. Please let me know what you think! I should have chapter 1 up very soon!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Graveyard, minus their "fearless leader", were pursuing their usual pre-shift activities in the break room. Nick and Warrick, sitting on the floor in front of the TV, were goading each other over a videogame; Catherine was sitting in a chair at the table, with her feet propped up, perusing a Vogue magazine; Sara had her back propped up on an arm of the couch, legs curled under her, lost in the world of the book in her hands.

Grissom entered the room, all of his attention focused on glaring a hole in the paper he was holding.

Catherine was the first to notice his entrance. "You look about as happy as a cat being dropped into Lake Mead."

This comment had Sara dragging herself out of the weavings on the pages in front of her, and smirking at the comment.

Catherine raised an eyebrow at her best friend. "What's got your boxers in a bunch…or is it tighty-whities in a twist?"

Half of the mouthful Nick had just taken of his drink was spat back out of his mouth while the other half ended up exiting his nose.

Warrick's body rocked back and forth with the forceful coughs that were wrought upon him.

Sara was doubled over on the couch, almost in fetal position, her frame shaking uncontrollably with laughter.

Grissom was standing stock still with his mouth open staring at Catherine with a look of utter shock but that at the same time asked, "Why am I even surprised?"

Catherine, meanwhile, slowly swiveled back and forth slightly in her chair, a self satisfied smirk on her face; all around giving the impression of a smug cat.

Sara finally recovered sufficiently to get enough oxygen into her lungs to form words. "So…what is it, Griss? Boxers or briefs?" The muscles in her face were battling each other, one set determined to keep her expression neutral, while the other was dead set on laughing again.

Grissom was finally able to drag his irate gaze from the strawberry blond to direct it at the brunette.

The two other members of the team with Y chromosomes snickered as Nick wiped his face and the liquid he had sprayed on the floor with a napkin and Warrick's mingled with the remnants of his coughing fit. All laughing from them died a sudden death when they became the supervisor's next targets.

The man whom everyone in that room admired but also loved to tease at any turn they could, gave each face one last glare. Nick looked appropriately contrite. Warrick was taking his and Nick's cups over to the sink, trying to compose himself. Sara's face was fixed into an innocent look, but her eyes sparkled suspiciously. Catherine was wholly unrepentant, smirking at him broadly.

He shook his head, having his own small battle against laughter. He returned his attention to the paper that had been on the receiving end of his wrath. "The comment pertaining to my choice of underwear I shall leave at that it as for me to know, and for you not to. As to why I am rather irritated, our team has been 'cordially invited' to the Las Vegas law enforcement annual picnic this Saturday."

Catherine looked like someone had stuffed about a pound of lemons into her mouth as she accepted the seemingly innocent piece of paper as if it was an invitation to hell from the devil himself. "Why don't they just say 'you are cordially commanded'?"

Sara learned in that moment that it was quite possible for your stomach to drop faster than the laws of physics permit. "Uh…this is one of those 'we can't get out of it so save our lives' things, right?" She glanced over at the two men she considered her brothers, more so than her own biological one.

They looked like they were about to be led off a torture session in the London Tower, which probably would have been less painful considering what they would be forced to endure.

Catherine appeared to be trying to incinerate the "_invitation_" with her eyes. "Oh, you can, but unless you are lying on your death bed, you can expect to have your entire shift 'disciplined'."

"An entire day of making nice with Ecklie and day shift…" Nick looked like a kid who had just been told that summer had been canceled, "yay."

Catherine groaned. "Linds is gonna _love_ this. She doesn't get along with _any_ of the other kids." She balled up the summons and chucked it at the trash bin; it bounced off the rim and flew to Sara who caught it without even glancing at it.

"Look," Grissom's voice broke through the graveyard-like atmosphere in the room, no pun intended, "I know none of us like having to go through this…again, but that can't be helped so let's just get to work, shall we?" He turned his attention to the slips in his hands.

Sara's expression seemed to be playing one-on-one tag with nervousness and annoyance.

"Catherine and Warrick, assault and battery. Two DBs in the Bellagio fountain, Nick; Sara you're with me."

"_In_ the fountain!" Nick's eyebrows shot up as he took the slip from his boss.

Grissom felt something was missing; his gaze searched the room and settled on Sara, who was rolling the balled up paper around in her hands. He frowned worriedly at her disquiet.

"Sara?"

She continued to find something in the middle of empty air fascinating.

"Sara!"

Her head shot up, she looked almost like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Yeah?" She wrestled the guilt out of her expression.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, uh, what have we got?" She scurried to cover up her inattention.

"You, Nick and I have two dead bodies in the Bellagio Fountain." He wasn't buying her quick recovery.

"Cool," she leapt quickly, too quickly, out of her seat," let's go!" She tossed the wadded up paper into the trashcan without looking, making her getaway out the break room doors.

Grissom's eyes narrowed slightly as he followed her quick retreat.

Nick stood almost gaping.

Grissom's head popped back into the through the doorway. "Nick!"

Nick's head shot up at his boss's annoyed tone and he wisely bolted out the door, leaving the object of his utter amazement behind.

Grissom watched his figure rapidly head down the hall before glancing back into the break room, searching for what the younger man could have found so fascinating, but not locating anything. He spotted the invitation that Catherine had crumpled up sitting on top of the pile of trash in the can and gave it a brief final scowl before following his CSIs.

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Sara had made it to the car first and was sitting in the driver's seat. She drummed out a nameless rhythm that belonged only to her on the steering wheel while she waited. She gnawed on her lower lip, probably harder than she had ever gnawed on any piece of meat before she became a vegetarian. She knew none of her team members were, to put it lightly, happy having to spend their Saturday around people they had no desire to even see in the office. But the truth was she was more nervous about something that she was going to end up having to reveal to them, a little sooner, and _definitely_ not the way she had planned. 'Hey guys, surprise!' she snarked in her head. She pursed her lips distastefully. Yeah, this was gonna be fun.

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Thank you so much for the reviews:)

**Staraice**: Yeah I don't like that either, but Grissom in the episode was the one who referred to Catherine having Lindsay being a diversion and yeah I did kinda need to do it to tie it all in.

**CJ Lauren**: I try:)

**gilgrissom007**: Thank you!

**stokeslover-4eva**: Well here is the next chapter!

**Adenara Yatman**: Thanks:)

**Sugar Pill**: Thank you very much! And I will try to read your story ASAP!

**spooky-phoenix**: Yeah, after I bought the CD I immediately fell in love with the song. As far as pairings, not immediately, but I have to say that I am GS. So, I think, that at least for a few chapters you should be ok with them, but after that…(shrugs) I will be having several other pairings, probably all the team will find someone, most likely through the efforts of two devious younguns. (grins)

Please let me know if I made any mistakes because I was up late writing this and I am always grateful when people let me know when I have made mistakes. Praise and constructive criticism only please! Flames…(grins) well, my friends can probably tell you what I do with those! Mwahahahahahahaha!


	3. Chapter 2

I am not completely satisfied with how this chapter runs, but I have sat on this for probably close to two months, so here it is; I hope it is still ok!

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The night shift team had claimed three picnic tables for their group, which included all of the members of the night shift plus Lindsay, Brass, Greg, Doc. Robins and his wife, and David. However they were one short; Sara hadn't arrived yet, and the Sheriff had come over to them a little earlier to ask – interrogate – them about her whereabouts. They had easily deflected saying that she was running late, though now she was about and hour late and the Sheriff kept glaring over at their table. They had taken turns casting glances every once in a while in the direction of the parking lot.

Nick was taking his unofficial turn when he spotted a familiar SUV pulling up. "Here she is!"

The others also glanced over; releasing a collective breath, before most of them went back to the preparations for the lunch they were setting out.

Nick continued to watch as Sara got out; then headed to the back passenger door and opened it. She reached inside; he was unable to see exactly what she was doing but she eventually stepped back, holding the door open for a second longer before closing it. He watched as she came around the cars and came fully into sight. Nick's jaw hit the ground.

"Uh…hey guys?"

There were a few "Um hm?"s, "Yeah?"s and "What?"s in acknowledgement.

"Do any of you see what I am seeing?"

Warrick was the first to look up, after a moment he squinted. "What the hell?"

Catherine's head was the next to come up; her own mouth dropped open slightly. "Is that…?"

At this point the rest of the members of their group had turned their attention in the direction of the no-longer-missing member. Brass's eyebrow's shot up; Doc had a mildly surprised look on his face; David was staring slack jawed; a look a surprise flickered across Grissom's face before he hid it, pursing his lips.

"What is Sara doing with a little girl?"

Most heads turned to Greg at his direct question.

Sara was just a few yards off and she was indeed holding the hand of a small girl who had white blond hair that was tied back in two small braided pigtails by her ears and was clutching a pink teddy bear. Most of the group had the distinct feeling of recognition of the girl.

Sara finally came to a stop in front of her friends and colleagues. She shifted a little under their scrutiny and cleared her throat. "Uh, Bren, these are some of my friends whom I work with. That's Nick Stokes," Nick gave her a friendly smile, "Warrick Brown."

Warrick grinned. "Hey girl." He kept his voice soft.

"Catherine Willows," Catherine smiled brightly, "Jim Brass."

"How ya doin' there, kiddo?"

"Bren" moved closer to Sara. "She's shy," Sara quickly explained.

"Greg Sanders," the lab tech gave her a full, unreserved grin, to which she didn't seem to know how to react, "Doctor Robins," Doc gave her a small smile and nod, "David Phillips," a small wave. Sara swallowed. "And this is Gil Grissom," she avoided looking at him at that moment, already having seen the look of realization on his face. "Everyone this is my foster-soon-to-be-adopted daughter, Brenda Collins." There was a general dropping of jaws. Sara kept her arm protectively around her daughter. "You may remember Brenda from a case about a year ago." Just about everyone now caught on to exactly who Brenda was.

Brenda's gaze had been on Grissom most of the time; she pulled on Sara's sleeve, to which Sara bent down so that Brenda could almost whisper in her ear. "I remember him," she pointed to the entomologist, her voice barely above a whisper. "He talked to me in the police car."

Sara's eyes drifted to Grissom, who crouched down to her, giving her a quiet smile. "It is good to see you again, Brenda."

Sara felt a jolt of surprise when Brenda didn't shrink into her side, but just nodded to the man before he stood up once more.

Catherine knelt down, smiling easily. "You know, I have a little girl about your age named Lindsay, maybe you two could play together?"

Brenda looked up at Sara whose face creased into a gentle smile. Brenda looked back at the blond woman and slowly nodded.

Catherine looked in the direction of the playground where Lindsay was sitting alone on the swings. "Linds! Linds!" The six-almost-seven year old leapt off the swing and raced over, skidding to a stop by her mom. "Lindsay, this is Brenda. Brenda, this is my daughter Lindsay. How about you two go play some?"

Lindsay turned to the smaller girl. "Do you wanna go down the slide? There're some really good ones." She scrunched up her nose. "Though we gotta be careful, most of the kids aren't our age and the only ones close to us are the Ecklies and they're brats."

"Lindsay," Catherine's frown was battling with a laugh.

"You say that they're brats, mom."

There was stifled laughter from several sources.

"That's when we're at home, sweetheart; you shouldn't say such things in public."

"Ok, can we go play now?"

Catherine nodded.

Brenda looked up at Sara. "Go ahead." The girl hesitated. "Do you want me to hold onto Pearl?"

The child gripped the bear tighter and shook her head vigorously before slowly following the bouncier blond child.

A smile touched Sara's lips as she watched them go off, though that smile quickly faded when she remembered the people around her; her eyes wandered up to them to find every pair of eyes on her.

'Let the interrogation begin!' she thought wryly.


End file.
